David ltman



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@zeiten Qn' .v aient @fitta DAVID LYMAN, MIDDLEFIELD, CONNECTICUT.

Letters Patent No. 72,407, dated December 17, 1867.

IMPROVED CLOTHES-WRINGER.

TO WHOM IT MAY OONCERN:

Bc it known that I, DAVID LYMAN, of Middlefield, in the county of Middlesex, and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Clothes-Wringers; and I hereby declare 'the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 represents a side elevation of awringing-machine to which my improvements are applied.

Figure 2 is an end elevation ofthe same; and

Figures 3 and 4 are detached views ofthe gearing carried by the wringer-rolls.

This invention relates to gearing known asastep-gear, z'. e., gear consisting of two or more cog-wheels mounted on the same shaft, and in parallel planes, in such manner that the teeth of the one wheel shall be opposite the spaces or`intervals betweenvthe teeth of the other; and it has more particular reference to the gearing of wringing and other like machines in which the toothed wheels composing each set of step-gear are mounted one upon each end ofthe same shaft?. As, for instance, in tig. 1 of 4the accompanying drawings, the shaft ofthe upper wringer-roll carries on one end the cog-wheel A, and on the other a like wheel, B, the two being so placed with relation 'to each otheras to constitute step-gear, under the Pease Patent, No. 54,764, of May 15, 1866.

These gears mesh with like cog-wheels similarlymounted upon the ends of the lower wringer-roll shaft, which, when revolved, will, through the medium of the gears, eiect therotationoiI the upper roll. The rolls are, as is well known, so arianged that the distance between them may be increased or lessened, to conform to the varying thickness ofthe clothes passing through the machine. Under this arrangement ofthe rolls, itr often happens that, owing to the inequalities in the clothes, the upper roller is lifted or tilted up at one end, so as .to throw the cogs at that end of the machine quite out of gear, causing at thesame time the teeth of the gears at the opposite Yend to mesh so deeply with one another as to perceptibly retard if not entirely arrest the revolution of the rolls.

One of the objects I have in view in this invention is, to ai'ord a readymeans of remedying this f liiiculty,v

and of preventing the teeth of the one wheel from entering'the spaces or invervals between the teeth of the other beyond the proper depth. A In step-gear in which the wheels are mounted separately and upon opposite, ends of the shaft, it is also of considerable importance that the cog's shoul'd be suitably strengthened and supported,ito resist any strain brought to Ibear upon Jthem, so as to impart to the whole wheel the necessary solidity and strength to endure the constant wear and pressure to whichrit is subjected. This is more especially true when the number of cogs oh the wheel is reduced, as illustrated in the drawings, in accordance with the method described and claimed in the patent recently granted Warren Rowell for improved gearing for wringing-machines.

My object, in addition to the one stated above, is also to afrordthis increased strength and stability to the coge; and to Vthis end my invention consists principally in providing cach of the cog-wheels which form the.

step-gear of a machine, such as described, with a ring or`circular plateeap'plied to or formed upon the face of the wheel in the manner hereinafter specified, so that while serving to limit the penetration of the cogs of one wheel into the spaces or intervals between the cog-s of the other, it shall at the same time serve to support the cogs and give additional strength to the wheel to which it is applied. The diameter of this supporting-ring or plate, (which may be either cast in one piece with the toothed wheel, or formed separately, and afterwards secured upon the wheel by suitable means,)'should bear such relation to that of its wheel, that whentwo otsaid wheels are in gear, the peripheries of their respective rings or plates, after the cogs have meshcd to a certain depth, will i be in contact, so as to prevent the further penetration or engagement of the cogs. Thus, when the uppcr or driven roll is tilted so4 as to cause the wheels on one side to mesh more deeply with one another, after the coge have engaged toa certain extent with one another, the supporting-rings ortlangcs upon the wheels will meet and prevent the nearer approach of the wheels and consequent jamming or locking of their cogs. It is' manifest that if the supporting-hangen or plates of the wheels on one sideof the machine were of unequal diameters,'

the ring or plate having the greater diameter would movevwith a correspondingly increased circumferential speed, and consequently, that if the two rings or plates, from the causes hereinbefore mentioned, were brought into contact, the dierencein their speed at the circumference would` produce a sliding friction which in time would cause them to become worn andy uniitted for use; and moreover, in event ofcontact between such rings, the dragging or sliding of the one upon the other would` ncrease'the resistance, and thereforejrequire a greater expenditure of power to operate the rolls. I therefore prefer to make these rings or supporting-disks of equal diameters, so that they shall move with the same circumferential speed, thus preventing the dragging or attrition of the one surface upon the other, and enabling them to' operate under the best conditions for success.

In the accompanying drawings, the step-gears A B and C D are shown as mounted upon the endsofl their respectiveQ shafts E F, the former of which is the shatt of. the *upper wringer-roll, the latter the shaft of the lower roll. ,Upon the exterior face of each cog-wheel, as seen in iig-3, is a ring or flange or plate, G, whose diameter is less tha-n that of the wheel, the two diameters bearing the relation `to each other hereinbefore explained. The plates or ringsG have equal diameters, in order to prevent the sliding friction whiclnas above set forth, would7 in event ot' their being in contact, result if 'one were greater than the other. The action of the angesor rings G, in preventing the cogs from meshing too deeply when the upper roll is'tilted, is seen clearly in iig. 4, where the wheels andtheir ilanges or plates are represented in elevation. The teeth -or cogs,

of the wheels have their faces which are contiguous to the platesbevelled, so as to escape alldanger of the coge meeting with or catching upon the plate of the opposite wheel.

Instead of having a contiguous plate, G, the ring or flange a upon the periphery of said plate'may alone be employed, though I much prefer to use the plate, which should be cast in one piece with its wheel.

Having now described my invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be carried into effect, what I claim, and desire to securelby Letters Patent, is- 4 1. In wringing or other like machines, having cogwheels on each end ofthe roller-shafts, I claim providing said coglwheels with flanges or circular plates upon their exterior faces, as herein described, so that while preventing the meshing of the cogs beyond n. certain limit, they shall aii'ord additional support and strength to'said cogs, substantially as set forth.

2. In wringing or other like machines, having hanged or disked cog-wheels upon each end ofthe rollershafts, I claim making all said` disks or langes with equal diameters, so that when the disks or anges of the contiguous cog-wheels are in contact, they shall'mo'vewith a rolling in` contradistinction to a sliding friction, as

and for the purposes set forth; v

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification before twdsnbscribing witnesses.

DAVID LYMAN.

Witnesses:

LYMAN A. MILLS, E. Gr. Snsnwnv. 

